Periscope

SYRIA
A Mystery Deepens

American intelligence analysts aren't sure what to make of an apparent terrorist attack last week in the diplomatic quarter of the Syrian capital, Damascus. Some anti-Syrian hard-liners in Congress suggest that Syrian security forces staged the attack so President Bashar Assad could show the White House he was curbing terrorism. (According to reports, two or three assailants died in the attack.) Under a new law, President George W. Bush is supposed to impose economic sanctions on Syria soon unless he is convinced that Damascus is serious about shutting down Syria-based terrorist groups.

The Assad government, desperate to avoid U.S. sanctions, has been trying to convince Washington that it is indeed taking on the militants. (The prevailing theory in D.C. is that the Syrians may have tried to mount a crackdown against local jihadis, who then struck back.) U.S. officials say the Syrians made a recent appeal to CIA Director George Tenet, whose agency got considerable help from Syria while investigating Qaeda cells after 9/11. But sources say Tenet couldn't promise the forestalling of sanctions. Syria's commitment against terrorism was called into question by authorities in Jordan, who recently released detailed evidence about a major bombing plot against Jordanian and U.S. targets in Amman; the plotters allegedly got critical support from cohorts in Syria.
--Mark Hosenball

GLOBAL BUZZ
THE REPORT CARD FROM REFORM SCHOOL EDITION

Reform may fare best in places where it looks least likely. Georgia's Western-backed leader, on the other hand, is acting more like a hard-liner by the day.

India + Exit polls have the BJP looking weak and the markets jittery. Sure, the coalition will bicker, but all sides agree on key reforms. They'll pass--so will the jitters.